


Latte Love

by fuzipenguin



Series: Cake and Coffee [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Not Related, M/M, Meet-Cute, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 21:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16689196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzipenguin/pseuds/fuzipenguin
Summary: Sunny's a barista in a hospital coffee shop. Sidney is a visitor to the hospital.





	Latte Love

**Author's Note:**

> Because I wanted to do a coffee shop AU :)  
> I also don't drink coffee. At all. So if things seem off, I did what I could with research.

                “This isn’t right.”

                Sunny turned around and stared blankly at the bald man standing in front of the cash register. He had a vague recollection of serving him about four people ago. “…I’m sorry, sir?”

                “Yeah, you should be. It cost $6, and it isn’t even made right. Where’s the damn caramel?” the man demanded, gesturing with his cup. His cheeks were reddened and the collar and pits of his t-shirt were stained with sweat. Sunny fought the urge to wrinkle his nose and donned his Customer Face.

                “I apologize. You’re absolutely right; I can see that I forgot the caramel on top, so I’m sure I forgot it altogether. Let me get rid of that for you, and I’ll make you a correct one immediately,” Sunny said, reaching out for the cup. “No charge, of course.”

                “You’re damn right, no charge,” the mad snarled, thrusting the cup at Sunny. Sunny fumbled it, nearly spilling the entire thing, but managed to grip it properly at the last second.

                “I’m really sorry,” Sunny said again, dumping the liquid down the sink and tossing the cup in the trash.

                “It’s just one fucking fancy cup of coffee; I don’t know how you could screw it up so bad,” the mad said, leaning on the counter.

                Sunny quickly turned back to the espresso machine so the customer couldn’t see his face. There was no point protesting or giving excuses. He’d only been on the job for three months, but he’d quickly gained the skill to differentiate between people who could be pacified and the ones who just didn’t care what Sunny said.

                “Probably a high school drop-out. McDonalds wouldn’t take you, huh?” the man jeered. Sunny took a breath and tried to fight down the bubble of anger. He could have managed it too, if the guy had just left it there.

                “Naw, pouring coffee is the only skill you have apparently. And it’s not even a good one!”

                Just as Sunny was about to whip around, ‘the customer is always right’ be-damned, another voice spoke up.

                “Dude. _Chill_.”

                Sunny looked over his shoulder in surprise, his first customer turning around to stare behind him with wide eyes. “What did you say?!”

                “I said calm down,” the new man said, hands raised palm side up in a placating manner. “The poor guy said he’s sorry, he’s making you another one at no cost, and you still gotta rag on him? You’re here at this hospital for a reason; it’s probably an emotional one, but that’s no reason to take it out on the barista.”

                He pointed at Sunny, head turning so that their eyes met. Sunny’s stomach gave a funny twist, and he couldn’t quite tell if it was from the unexpected defense or the sheer gorgeousness he was faced with.

                The second customer was about Sunny’s height, blond as well. But whereas Sunny’s hair was a honey blond, this guy’s was so pale it was nearly white and tipped at the ends with an ombre red. It was artfully tousled in the way Sunny could never decide was natural or had help getting there with product. Regardless, it was enough of a length that Sunny’s fingers twitched in the sudden desire to run through it.  

                Bright blue eyes that were ringed in coal black eye-liner looked reproachfully at the angry man and thin lips turned into a frown.

                “So, he’s gonna make your drink, then you’re gonna take it and go, and not say another word. Isn’t that right?” he prompted.

                Sunny held his breath, a new cup clutched to his chest as he waited to see what the first man would do. It didn’t take very long for him to nod. He ducked his head as he turned back to face Sunny, averting his eyes.

                “Sorry,” he muttered. “I’m sorry.”

                “It won’t be but a moment,” Sunny replied, bobbing his own head in reply. He shot a grateful look at the second man and then devoted himself to making the drink the right way this time.

                In just a few minutes, he passed a new container over the counter. “Here you go,” Sunny said softly. “I upped the size in apology for your inconvenience.”

                The man stared at the cup for a second and then lifted his gaze to meet Sunny’s. His eyes were sad, the corners pinched in pain.

                “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I…”

                “It’s ok. Really. Go back to whoever you’re here for,” Sunny replied quietly. By now he had forgiven the other man; up close like this, Sunny could see that the man had recently been crying.

                “Thank you,” the man said in relief and turned to walk away. The blonde who had come to Sunny’s defense side-stepped him and then moved squarely in front of the counter. He smiled, and even though it was lopsided, it emphasized the lines around his mouth and eyes. He obviously smiled a lot.

                “Hey,” the blonde said, tilting his head to the side to indicate the customer who had just left. “Slow night, huh?”

                Sunny blew out a stream of air and shook his head. “Thanks. I thought he was gonna come across the counter at me there for a second. Or I was gonna come at him.”

                The guy shook his head. “He was upset. Maybe lost someone or is about to. People can get smothered by their grief; I just reminded him that his grief had nothing to do with you.”

                Sunny blinked in surprise. “Wow. What are you, the hospital counselor?”

                “Naw, dude. Psych major. Although hospital counselor doesn’t sound like a bad idea once I graduate. Thanks for the suggestion.”

                “I didn’t really…”

                The blonde shrugged, waving a nonchalant hand through the air. “Close enough. You ok though, man?”

                “What?” Sunny asked, taken back by the earnest expression suddenly aimed his way. “Yeah, no, no, I’m fine. Thanks for asking. What can I get you?”

                The guy considered Sunny for a moment and then shifted. “Vanilla latte. Extra foam, if you would, Sunny.”

                “How…?”

                Then Sunny shut his eyes and sighed, tapping his own name tag. “Not a slow night, but not a great one either. That’ll be $5.58”

                “I feel ya, man,” the blonde said, taking out his wallet.

                Sunny suspected it was an accurate statement. The other man wasn’t wearing scrubs or any sort of hospital attire. He was definitely a civilian… and one who dressed horribly, now that Sunny thought about it. The blonde wore a Metallica T-shirt under a ripped, long-sleeved plaid button down. But only a single button remained and it was several sizes too small, straining around his shoulders and barely reaching down to the waist of his skinny jeans. Which were tucked into dark green snake-skin cowboy boots.

                The blonde certainly had an aesthetic; Sunny would be hard-pressed to identify it however.  

                “Sunny short for anything?” the guy asked absently, counting out dollar bills.

                Sunny sighed as if it pained him. Because it did. “No. My mom was a bit of a hippie. My middle name is ‘Windy’ and my last name is ‘Day’. 

                The blonde froze, cash in his outstretched hand. He blinked several times before bursting out in laughter. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, dude! That is horrible!”

                Sunny grinned as he opened the cash drawer and deposited the bills. Then he counted out the change and handed it over, suppressing a little shiver as their fingers brushed. Sunny absently noted that the guy’s fingernails were painted silver.

                “I suppose it could have been worse,” he said over his shoulder as he turned around to the espresso machine.

                “Jesus… _how_? I will never complain about being named Sidney again,” the guy, Sidney apparently, said, chortling.

                “Sidney? I actually kinda like that,” Sunny mused, grabbing hold of the milk. The name suited the man.

                “Ugh. People always ask if I’m named after the kid in Toy Story. Really? Who would name their baby after that psycho?” Sidney complained.

                Hmm. Sunny quickly did the math. Toy Story came out in… 1994? 95? If Sidney was born after, that would make him close to Sunny’s age.

                “Have you ever asked your parents?” Sunny said, bending over the cup with intent focus.

                “… no? Shit. Hold on, I’m texting my mom right now. I can’t believe I never thought to ask. I mean, her older brother was named Sidney, but with a ‘y’ instead of an ‘i’ after the S so I just assumed…”

                “You know what they say about assuming…” Sunny replied with a small grin. He turned back around and carefully set the cup down on the counter in front of Sidney. “There you go.”

                Sidney looked up from his phone and automatically reached for the latte. Then he froze again, eyes going wide. He bent down, nose practically touching the hot liquid, and Sunny made an aborted motion with his hand to shove Sidney out of the steam.

                “Dude,” Sidney breathed, straightening up and pointing at the cup. “I can’t drink that. That’s a fucking work of art!”

                Sunny proudly gazed down at the four intricate flowers floating in the extra foam on top of Sidney’s latte. “They’re some of my better ones. My way of saying thank you.”

                “You _said_ thank you. This is like giving me the Mona Lisa,” Sidney replied. He raised his phone up and then proceeded to take several pictures, from multiple angles.

                “It’s not that good,” Sunny mumbled, sheepishly running the back of his head, nearly dislodging his ponytail.

                Sidney’s head shot up and he pinned Sunny in place with a sharp gaze. “It’s _good_. I’m addicted to coffee and this is the prettiest latte I’ve ever seen. What are you, an artist?”

                “Art history major, actually,” Sunny corrected. “But I do dabble in paints.”

                “Dabble, he says,” Sidney scoffed, waving a hand at the cup. “I…”

                Sidney’s phone beeped in his hand and he looked down at it, eyes scanning the surface. His shoulders sagged a bit before he tucked the phone in his pocket. He carefully took hold of the cup, cradling it and the saucer it was on against his chest.

                “If I take this up to one of the rooms, will the food service bring it back?” Sidney asked, a pinched expression taking over his face.

                Suddenly Sunny remembered that while this was a coffee shop, it was in the lobby of a hospital, and Sidney didn’t work here. Odds were, there was someone he loved on one of the upper floors, in pain or dying. And here Sunny was… trying to impress him with pretty designs in latte foam.

                “Yeah, absolutely. Don’t worry about it,” Sunny rushed to reassure him.

                “Thanks,” Sidney said absently, already moving. Then he paused a few feet away from the counter and looked over his shoulder.

                “You always on this shift?” Sidney asked, raising an eyebrow in question. “What time do you get off?”

                “Uh… yeah,” Sunny replied, flustered. “2-10pm Wednesday through Sunday.”

                “Ah. Well, I’ll probably be seeing a lot of you,” Sidney said, raising his drink in a salute. The motion caused some of the latte to slosh out over Sidney’s fingers and he hissed in pain. His pink tongue came out and flicked the drops of liquid away from the side of his hand. Sunny’s stomach twisted again at the sight.

                “Ow, fuck! Mm, anyway, night!” Sidney called out, waving his injured hand through the air in good bye before he finished walking out of the café.

                “… night,” Sunny said lamely. What else could he say? ‘I look forward to seeing you tomorrow?’ Sunny certainly wouldn’t mind; Sidney was funny and so pretty to look at it made Sunny’s chest hurt. He never even knew what the term ‘physical attraction’ was until tonight.

                But he also didn’t want Sidney to be hurting because someone he cared for was a patient.

                A small, selfish part of Sunny hoped that loved one remained stable, but needed to be hospitalized for several more days yet. The better part of him was horrified and hoped the patient was discharged and the power of a good latte brought Sidney back.

               

~End


End file.
